Lisbeth

Sprawled along the southern Pacific Ocean, Peru is divided into three regions: the heavily populated coastal plain; the Andes Mountains, where cattle and agriculture predominate; and the humid eastern lowlands, inhabited by isolated Amerindian tribes. Once part of the vast Incan empire, Peru has emerged from decades of civil strife as a growing economy. Three out of four Peruvians live in cities. Nearly half are Indians and many are mestizo (descended from Spanish and Indian ancestry). Spanish and Quechua are Peru’s official languages. The majority of Peruvians are Catholic. Compassion works mostly in the western part of the country along the Pacific Ocean, but also has child development centers in the upper jungle and in some Andean towns in the central and eastern regions. When Spaniard Francisco Pizarro landed in Peru in 1532, the Incas ruled a vast empire rich in silver and gold, which soon fell to the conquistadors. Spain ruled the area until 1821, when Peru won its independence. Since then, Peru’s government has alternated between military and civilian dictators and reform-minded leaders. During the 1970s and 1980s, the country struggled with inflation, a decline in per-capita income, and guerrilla violence. A strong economy and increased stability prevailed in the 1990s, although the government was criticized for human rights violations. The 2006 elections saw the return of former president Alan Garcia who vowed to improve social conditions and maintain fiscal responsibility. Dina Boluarte is the current president of Peru.